Get Ready for the Next Windows Operating System

[Climber]

I fail to see the problem. All most of us wanted in the first place was the choice to switch between the touch and non touch environments. Not have a half baked UI shoved down our throats in a non touch environment. I know this whole "Choice" thing is new to some of you, but you really should try it out sometime.

You have choice, you don't have to use touch on Windows 8. Kb/m work amazingly just like Windows 7 but that isn't the complaint, I'm guessing too many people view the loss of the start button as the deal breaker. I highly doubt it will come back like it was, I don't think the current start menu will come back either. Perhaps an amalgamation of the two and more refined.

The reality is, no matter how hard a handful of you continue to blindly defend it. The rest of the world and now MS recognize Win 8 for the massive blunder it is. It doesn't matter how good the underlying engine is, if the outside still looks like a clown car. Yes, I just used a car analogy..why? Because I could!

The majority of complaints are focused on one or two things and that is it. Windows 8 as an OS is perfectly fine, the choice people are asking for has always been in Windows 8, so what it comes down to is the lack of the start menu and a whole lot of ill informed posters parroting information that is for the most part either incorrect or partially misleading.

If MS ditches Windows 8, they aren't going back to Windows 7. Windows 9 or whatever they end up calling it will be a more refined version of what Windows 8 is same way Windows 7 is a more refined version of Vista.

 

[Climber]

As the official computer guy for damn near everyone I know, i feel saying "the execution could be better" is a tremendous understatement. I can think of 5 people using Windows 8 right now, none like it. All of them have tablets and/or smartphones, so they know how those work. They bought cheap laptops at Best Buy or I helped them build a PC. When they encountered Metro, they had no idea how it was supposed to work.

Someone in my family was so baffled they would reboot their PC when they accidentally opened something in a Metro app.

I agree, the execution was way off with the release of Windows 8. However, after building almost 2 dozen or so systems this past year for friends and family all of them either like or tolerate Windows 8. After my first build then building one for the mother in law, I just wrote up a 1 page "cheatsheet" and spent about an hour originally with her showing her how to navigate, pin stuff, use and search for metro apps, and the charms bar and it was all good.

The ones who tolerate Windows 8 don't use metro nor have use for apps so after setting up default programs for them they don't have to deal with Metro or apps if they don't want to.

None of them have ever complained about navigation, the few standard complaints was setting up default programs or how to use the start menu. The "cheatsheet" eliminated almost all complaints or questions, it was vastly easier showing clients how to use Windows 8 than it was Mac OS imo.

 

[rudy]

I don't walk with them into Best Buy holding hands and tell them to buy $349 laptops.

For the couple I built PCs for, I showed them a few things, not everyone wants to take notes. They both wanted to get rid of Metro so I left them with Classic Shell. Eventually they got stuck.

Which is why people need to be forced to learn not oh here is a crutch hopefully nothing goes wrong. You sit someone down at an iPhone you get pretty much the same thing if they know nothing. How on earth is everything you are suppose to do going to happen with just 1 button? That's what it is like, so why don't people complain about that? Simple because they knew an iPhone was a different OS they came to it with a more open mind and they were willing to learn. With windows as we have seen over and over no one is willing to learn, they just want it to keep doing the same thing over and over, then they complain that there is not enough different to justify a new OS, and then when MS finally makes an OS so different no one can say that/// lol they go back to complaining that it doesn't work exactly the same as before.

I like the reboot to get out of an app anecdote, lol because ya going to you tube or searching online for how to do something, which is exactly what they would have done with their iphone was so hard.

In my experience liking or hating windows 8 for regular users almost always comes down to a preconceived notion. If they heard from someone else that it sucks they go into immediately to confirm that. If I show up and tell it to them strait they open up their mind and start learning, and well it takes all of 10 minutes for them to figure it out.

 

[heatlesssun]

You have choice, you don't have to use touch on Windows 8. Kb/m work amazingly just like Windows 7 but that isn't the complaint, I'm guessing too many people view the loss of the start button as the deal breaker. I highly doubt it will come back like it was, I don't think the current start menu will come back either. Perhaps an amalgamation of the two and more refined.

Windows 8.1 is very flexible OS that offers tons of options. When this subject of choice comes up it seems to be only about one particular option, a Metro off switch. But rarely do the choices that 8 offers over 7 come up. 8 can run on hardware and supports tablet and touch software that 7 can't and much of that software will work well with keyboards and mice. And if one doesn't want to use this software, they don't have to.

The majority of complaints are focused on one or two things and that is it. Windows 8 as an OS is perfectly fine, the choice people are asking for has always been in Windows 8, so what it comes down to is the lack of the start menu and a whole lot of ill informed posters parroting information that is for the most part either incorrect or partially misleading.

If MS ditches Windows 8, they aren't going back to Windows 7. Windows 9 or whatever they end up calling it will be a more refined version of what Windows 8 is same way Windows 7 is a more refined version of Vista.

The majority of the mouse and keyboard issues in 8.1 can be addressed with a non-fullscreen Start Screen, additional chrome and windowed modern apps. And from rumors that have been floating around it looks like 9 will probably do these things. But even if 9 did do these things I think that what a lot of people don't Windows 8 has nothing to do with the UI. They simply don't like the idea of "tablifying" the desktop, Windows Store apps, Skydrive and Bing integration, etc. But I do think that these things are important if Windows is to be relevant in the consumer space. Simplified apps, cloud integration, tablets, touch, these things are at the heart of consumer computing and indeed are beginning to make their way into the business world as well.

 

[heatlesssun]

Which is why people need to be forced to learn not oh here is a crutch hopefully nothing goes wrong. You sit someone down at an iPhone you get pretty much the same thing if they know nothing. How on earth is everything you are suppose to do going to happen with just 1 button? That's what it is like, so why don't people complain about that? Simple because they knew an iPhone was a different OS they came to it with a more open mind and they were willing to learn. With windows as we have seen over and over no one is willing to learn, they just want it to keep doing the same thing over and over, then they complain that there is not enough different to justify a new OS, and then when MS finally makes an OS so different no one can say that/// lol they go back to complaining that it doesn't work exactly the same as before.

I like the reboot to get out of an app anecdote, lol because ya going to you tube or searching online for how to do something, which is exactly what they would have done with their iphone was so hard.

In my experience liking or hating windows 8 for regular users almost always comes down to a preconceived notion. If they heard from someone else that it sucks they go into immediately to confirm that. If I show up and tell it to them strait they open up their mind and start learning, and well it takes all of 10 minutes for them to figure it out.

Great points. Much of the debate of the new UI stems from familiarity and 8 does change enough to make it unfamiliar compared to prior versions. However it's not so different that with an open mind and some time that most can't pick it up. Microsoft had to take some risks with 8 and while a Metro off switch would have it more palatable to many, I don't see how that addresses the issue of reduced demand for new desktops and laptops. A Metro off switch wouldn't fix that problem and that's the biggest issue facing Windows.

Of course it can be argued that Windows 8 hurt the new desktop and laptop market but I don't think it's easy to determine just how much and we don't really have hard numbers on Windows tablets. There almost certainly was an uptick there with these new cheap Bay Trail devices.

 

[Hagrid]

I agree, the execution was way off with the release of Windows 8. However, after building almost 2 dozen or so systems this past year for friends and family all of them either like or tolerate Windows 8. After my first build then building one for the mother in law, I just wrote up a 1 page "cheatsheet" and spent about an hour originally with her showing her how to navigate, pin stuff, use and search for metro apps, and the charms bar and it was all good.

The ones who tolerate Windows 8 don't use metro nor have use for apps so after setting up default programs for them they don't have to deal with Metro or apps if they don't want to.

None of them have ever complained about navigation, the few standard complaints was setting up default programs or how to use the start menu. The "cheatsheet" eliminated almost all complaints or questions, it was vastly easier showing clients how to use Windows 8 than it was Mac OS imo.

And if MS left the user with a choice, they wouldn't need a cheat sheet.

I personally don't need apps or use anything other then what I have been used to so far. I just put the stuff I need on the desktop and click when I need it.

 

[Climber]

And if MS left the user with a choice, they wouldn't need a cheat sheet.

I personally don't need apps or use anything other then what I have been used to so far. I just put the stuff I need on the desktop and click when I need it.

Yes they would. Technology is constantly improving, those who stay stagnate fall by the wayside. I needed a cheat sheet when I switched from my blackberry to iPhone, and likewise when I went to android. Every new iteration of software is going to require a learning curve of one sort or another. The difficulty is where the difference lies.

 

[Climber]

I personally don't need apps or use anything other then what I have been used to so far. I just put the stuff I need on the desktop and click when I need it.

Also it is nice that you can do this in Windows 8 just like 7. You don't need to use apps in 8.

 

[daglesj]

Your the computer guy, did you not show them how to use it? I find it takes 5 minutes to show somehow how to open a full screen app, close one, go to the desktop, restart or shutdown the computer and add things to the start screen. That is it and they are all good after that.

In my opinion, if you are not taking the time to do that, perhaps a new computer guy is in order?

I'm the local computer guy for my area. I've rolled out quite a lot of Windows 8 machines, desktops and laptops. I've spent at least 15 minutes going over the changes with customers to make sure they are happy with it.

The result? Overwhelmingly positive. No returns. One or two grumbles over some changes (hey c'mon its 12 years!) but they all agree (even the grumbles) its a big improvement over XP/Vista. They wouldn't go back.

I've had customers come back for more Windows 8 machines so my approach must be working. I do offer 7, just so you know.

Work with it and it will go smoothly, work against it and you will struggle.